TWENTY TWO

CHAPTER SIX

I ACT SURPRISED

Partially because I told Tobi I would but majorly because I really am surprised.
How they organized all this? that's surprising How did they even get the key to my house?
What's even more surprising is that they did this for me.
To think that a few minutes ago I was calling all the people in my life assholes.

Amaka is the first to come towards me to hug me, as expected. She's smiling from ear to ear and I feel a little guilty that I used to refer to her as 'the nosy neighbor'
"Happy birthday my baby" she's hugging me and saying prayer points I don't completely hear but I still say Amen.

Amaka is twenty nine and she likes to point out how young I am which is why she always calls me her baby. I'm okay with being her baby, it's way better than that demon calling me baby.
I'm actually everybody in the area's baby, they just never call me that. Tobi is over thirty, his wife should be Amaka's age mate, George is twenty seven and Chika is Twenty four.
Compared to my mere twenty two, which I'm just turning today, they're old.

Funny how some people love me for one reason and others hate me for that same reason. Most 22 year olds are still in school and here I am with a very convienent and well paying job. Most people just assume I get my money from men, just because I'm doing well at such a young age and the few who know I'm actually just a lucky lad, well, they love me.

"Leave her nau, are you the only one that wants to wish her?" George is also coming towards us and Amaka reluctantly let's go of the hug.
"Happy birthday" he gives me a careful hug and it feels so weird but I smile anyways.
"Thank you" I say to both him and Amaka.
"What took you so long? Chika was already thinking you won't sleep home today" Amaka says as we all walk further into the house.

My house. My unrecognizable house. There are decorations everywhere, and a couple of balloons I'm sure Amaka initiated, she's a tailor and she makes beautiful decorations as well, she could pass off as an event planner

"I thought she went to work" George says
"Work ke? Baby girl works Mondays to Thursdays" Amaka smiles like a proud mother
"In this Lagos?" George jokes and Amaka continues to give him the details of how and when I go to work.
"But you're not around on most Fridays, even on some Saturdays" George says
"She owns a studio she checks on, on her off days" Amaka answers before I can. "So what took you so long nau?" She adds remembering what had led to talking about my job.
"I...uh ..." I try to think of something. "I was uh...with my boyfriend" it's not a complete lie, just not the complete truth.
"Is it that your Facebook boyfriend?" she asks and I can hear the smile in her voice
"He's not my Facebook boyfriend" he's not even my boyfriend
"But you told me you met him on Facebook" she says and I swear George fakes a cough.
Sometimes, most times, she acts like a clueless child.
"Amaka" I say the name as a warning, in a stop-talking manner.
She's smiling. She knows what she's doing "I'm going to Chika's place. He should have gotten here by now" she says and walks away not waiting for me to even give a reply
.
.
.

"You didn't tell me the Facebook story" George jokes as we find a place to sit
"There's no story to tell" I say
"So what story did you tell Amaka?" he's smiling now
"Happy birthday Hannah" one of our neighbors interrupts joining me and George on the three seater chair we're on. She gives me a bag that I consider too big a gift coming from her. "Thank you" I smile collecting it. I'm not even sure I know her name but she's friends with Amaka and apparently friends with me.
"I like this your gown o" she's touching the extension of my too short gown and it's weird, I don't even know this girl like that. "Did Amaka sew it?" she adds assessing more than just my gown.
"Amaka didn't sew it" I say and try my best to not come off as mean so I keep going "I can give you my plugs' number if you want. She sells a lot of beautiful clothes" I smile again.
"Thank you o" she looks really happy as she brings out her phone and takes down Gift's number.
"If i tell her I'm from you, I hope she'll give me discount sha" she says
Discount ke. She didn't even give me, her friend, any discount.
"Of course she would" I say. I've lied a lot today.
"Alright, happy birthday once again" she says before leaving.
"See how she ghosted me" George says feigning annoyance
I laugh, she really did ghost him.
"How are you so popular, you've been here barely two months"
Honestly, I've also being asking myself the same question.
"Am I not just adorable?" I jokingly raise my shoulders and this time he's the one who laughs, well, he chuckles.
"You are" he says a little too seriously
"Happy birthday" someone else whose name I also don't know interrupts again, these people are Godsents.
"thank you" I answer

.
.
.

I've wiped off my makeup and changed into more comfortable clothes, the house is almost empty now, it's just me, Tobi and his wife, George and Jennifer. Though I think Jennifer is only tagging because of George. We never really got along since I moved here, she's one of the people who think I make my money from sleeping with men. Not that she'll say it to my face but I've heard, after all there's no secret in this Lagos.

"You guys are lucky you get to sleep in tommorow" Tobi says yawning. It's just past 8 but he's acting like it's 2am and he hasn't slept.
"Look who's talking, you open at 10" his wife says
"On good days, most times he opens in the afternoon" I say "today he opened almost twelve" I add
"It wasn't almost twelve, it was almost eleven" he corrects
"But what's taking them so long?" he adds after a while.

I haven't seen Chika since I got home, even Amaka hadn't come back since she went to 'check' him.

"Chika had to go cause his girlfriend called. Amaka was supposed to check him when Hannah got back, she too hasn't come back" Tobi's wife answers him
"I've been calling, Chika isn't answering his calls" Jennifer says
"Even Amaka isn't answering my calls" George chips in.
"I'll go and check Chika's house" Tobi suggests.
Why didn't we think of it before?
"No o. That's how Amaka went to check too" his wife says
"I'll go" I say standing up. It's not like people are dieing in his house, just to find out what's taking them so long and why they're not even answering phone calls.

The same minute I stand up, my phone rings, the second time today.
It's Amaka.

Finally.

Hi guys,
Sorry I'm a little bit late but Monday evening is the still Monday right? 😅
BTW, thank you so much for readingg! Continue to read, vote and drop comments if you like this story.